Thai Optimist Team to race in China: funding sought

by Peter Cummins

Royal Varuna Yacht Club is preparing for the 2001 Admiral’s Cup which will be sailed this weekend, April 21-22 at Pattaya, as a trial for the world championship in China. Under-16-year-old skippers from Pattaya (Royal Varuna), Sattahip, Pranburi, Vichitra Thani and, hopefully, Phuket will participate.

Tight, close racing is the legacy of Optimist competition. Photo Peter Cummins

The boys and girls at Varuna - and no doubt at some of the other clubs - have been undergoing rigorous training for the regatta which is the first of two trials to select the team to represent Thailand at the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) World Championships, to be held at Qingdao, China, in mid-July.

The individuals’ best performance over the weekend will be computed with placings at the Optimist National Championships to be held at Sattahip early next month, to ascertain the composition of the team of five to be sent to China. The five skippers, the team manager and coach will be named by the Junior Sailing Squadron of Thailand (JSST) - the affiliate of the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand (YRAT) responsible for junior sailing programmes - right after the nationals. YRAT will supply some 30 Optimist dinghies for both events from the fleet housed at the Royal Thai Navy facilities at Sattahip.

It is, indeed, welcome news that, for the first time in at least a decade, the Thai ‘Tricouleur’ will fly at an Optimist World Championship. Unfortunately, funding is always in short supply to send talented Thai juniors to the worlds, where the experience and tough competition are the invaluable catalysts which, over the years, have been instrumental in producing many national and regional yacht-racing champions.

YRAT, the governing body of yacht racing in the Kingdom, usually allocates its meagre resources to participation in the numerous local regattas such as the Asian Games, the South East Asian Games and ASEAN Optimist Championships, the last of which was held at Pattaya in 1999.

Now, with Al Chandler “at the helm”, so to speak, of this new bid for a world team, it will certainly come to fruition. Thus, I was somewhat puzzled when, not long after Al called me to discuss details of the forthcoming Admiral’s Cup and the ultimate bid for the world title, I saw a headline in the Bangkok Post of 4 April 2001 which read, “Admiral’s Cup sunk by apathy”. In all the years I have known Al, I have always admired - among his many talents - his total dedication to promoting junior sailing and racing - not just here in Thailand, but universally and, thus, this notice came as disturbing news.

Of course, the piece in question related to BIG people in BIG yachts. As Peter Rutter, chairman of the Admiral’s Cup management committee pointed out (in the Post story), “It is the first time that the biennial regatta for three-yacht teams at Cowes has been cancelled since it was inaugurated in 1957.”

“Apathy” could never be placed in the context of Optimist sailing, especially when people like Al, Rear Admiral Sunan Monthardpalin, long-time president of JSST and Vice Admiral Sombat Chaiyasap, chief executive of YRAT place their support firmly behind the junior programmes. Quite the contrary, in fact, for the race management team expects upwards of 40 Optimist dinghies at Pattaya this coming weekend.

In fact, since the last big junior sailing event in Thailand, the Eleventh ASEAN Optimist Championship held at Pattaya a year and a half ago, Royal Varuna Junior Sailing officer, Linden Phanpho, her trusty Brunhilde Schultes and numerous other volunteers have been very pleased with the attendance at Optimist sailing events and camps. More recently, these two tireless workers have been busy preparing their young charges with considerable emphasis on racing, honing them up to a competitive edge.

The new International Rules of Yacht Racing, covering the triennium 2001 - 2004, will be implemented for the first time in an Optimist regatta in Asia and the race organizers will be watching the event with great interest.

Mr Chandler pointed out this week that the cost of sending a skipper to the Worlds is 100,000 baht and is seeking contributions to help the youngsters on their way. Very quick off the mark, so to speak, have been perennial youth-sailing supporters Harold K. Vickery Jr., Ralph Tye and Somphob Intaraprasong.

Much more funding is required and, thus, anyone who would like to help the Thai team take our flag to China, could forward a check, payable to the Junior Sailing Squadron of Thailand, prior to 30 June 2001 but, preferably as early as possible to help with the complex arrangements that such a venture inevitably involves.

Checks should be sent to the Junior Sailing Squadron of Thailand c/- Seventh Floor, Bubhajit Building, 20 North Sathorn Road, Bangkok 10500. Attention Al Chandler. Fax 266-6483; 266-6484, e-mail: [email protected]

In the meantime, if you are in the area this weekend, come along to see the “kids in action”. It will be a very rewarding experience!

Luka Gregorc and Angelique Widjaja win Mali Junior Cup

Chakrapong Akkaranant

Luka Gregorc from Slovenia and Angelique Widjaja from Indonesia won the boys and girls singles titles respectively in the Mali Cup International Junior Tennis Championships 2001, which culminated on April 1 at the Siam Bayshore Resort in Pattaya.

Angelique Widjaja, 16-year old tennis star from Indonesia, won the girls singles title of the Mali Cup International Junior Tennis Championships 2001.

Gregorc, who is ranked #99 in world junior tennis but entered the tournament as an unseeded player, rode his powerful serve to upset 10th seeded South African Heinrech Heyl 6-4, 6-1 in the boys final.

Heyl may have been preoccupied, as it was his 18th birthday. However, his birthday could have been better, as Heyl, teamed with American Jason Zimmerman, also lost in the doubles championship to Russian Pavel Ivanov and New Zealand’s Jacob Olsen 7-6 (2), 6-3. Nonetheless, Heyl said, “I was happy to be in the finals”.

Sixteen year old Angelique Widjaja also had an easy go of it, defeating Chuang Chia Jung from Taiwan 6-1, 6-3 in the girls final. Widjaja, seeded number 1, recently defeated Chia Jung in the “Group 2 International Junior Tennis War” in Singapore.

Widjaja then teamed up with Chia Jung to win the girls doubles championship 6-2, 6-1 over Nicole Kriz from Australia and Dorottya Magas from Hungary.

PH3 Run 892

Hello - my name is Sweet Plum. I do 55 runs (ha-ha-ha-good yoke). My friend George say at beginning of run ‘Who write today’. I alright so I say ‘I am’. He say ok ‘you write’. Everyone laugh, why? I wear no shorts? Oh b... Hope my boyfriend, er-er- Dr. Pinky have better memory than me. New shoes (I cheat, wear flop-flips) and Patrick say ‘go that way’. As my boyfriend say ‘s.. that’ and so I sit down with my good buddy Rottweiler and we start our graze.

Good Som Tam and noodles but fish slightly over cooked, just another pinch of salt needed. And too much chilli. Spaghetti Head first in but he cheat. He go wrong way. No find, what farang say, paper. I never see so I no know. George (sexy man) come back and say ‘hash s@#t’. I no want to go poo poo but he boss man so I try anyway. Boyfriend sell lottery tickets but not many buy. Cheap farang... Why Navy not here? They not cheap Oops, sorry boyfriend, you not cheap, just careful. I drink wine cooler and get mow. Man from Subic come at 6.30. He have bad name so Sweet Plum cannot say. He get lost because Frog take down hash sign. Bad man.

George say ‘form a circle’. He no swear anymore. Good man. Lottery done by my boyfriend. I no win. I tell him only 3 prizes today please but he no listen. George ask people about something that happen last Saturday. I no understand because Saturday my holiday. I sleep all day, boyfriend go shopping for me and then we watch football or Rugby (tough ... V.V. as my boyfriend say ‘smash those French ..., ‘batter the French ...). I thought V.V. was Belgian. What a muppet I am.

Well last Saturday a good day. I see Tampax photos what a lovely couple Tom and (censored - Dr. Pinky) make. Fossil say (help me boyfriend- what this word?) fantrastic. I go next one if I can get out of bed.

Tom come in circle but I cant see much of him because I sit in Geoff’s truck. Boyfriend say don’t do but ..., I’m tired after all the grazing. He put T4 on ice and ask him how run - T4 say terrific. He bad man because I know he tell boyfriend what a s@#t run it was. I think he scared of Tom. I’m not because I know Tom like all ladies, especially (censored - Dr Pinky).

One man then got two or three names. I no understand. I only have one (oh sorry have 15 names like all Thai girls who go run, Fossil not like, but she no understand). Very big thank you for go Olala last week.

More people go in circle. I on second wine cooler so now very mow (how I get boyfriend home on buzz bomb?). My friend Gary get ‘T’ shirt for doing something (C Face say ‘s@#t runs’). Baby’s Arm in for chasing cattle, what an ... Why he chase? Give farmer 500 baht and he can buy. Oh sorry, George then say don’t do because bad. He never see Thai people do? I don’t think so. Now he the muppet ha ha.

Now on third wine cooler so beyond mow. Hash hymn sung (secret- I don’t know the words I just pretend). Then we go in C Face’s truck to Classroom 2 for more grazing and boyfriend can look at sexy ladies. Why he no look me same way. I am sexy, why you no understand. I finish now because boyfriend want to go home. Hope he has insurance.

On On Sweet Plum

The Square Ring

by Howie Reed

Some question the ability of the Pattaya Mail’s boxing writer to score Championship Boxing. A case in point was the bout between Prince Naseem Hamed and Marco A. Barrera. Two ringside judges had it 115-112, the other 116-111. The Mail? 118-110. Seven rounds all scored the same, 4 rounds the Mail was with the majority and in only one instance was the Mail hung out to dry. Guess as he was in the loo. Pretty impressive.

“The Prince expected me to fight like Mexican fighters. To come straight in and keep coming. I fooled him. I just keep hitting him. Anywhere. Just keep pressure on.” That was Marco Antonio Barrera. He didn’t let the entrance or delay bother him. If there is a rematch Mr. Barrera will knock the Prince colder than a “Teelock’s heart when the baht runs out.”

Lennox Lewis (38-1-1) makes another defense of his heavyweight title tomorrow night. This time he travels to South Africa for a bout with Hasim Rahman (34-2-0) to whom the name journeyman could be aptly applied. His record looks much better than it really is. In his last 6 he’s 5-1, except the one loss was to Oleg Maskaev (via 8 round KO) who has spent a lot of time on his back lately with KO losses to Kirk Johnson and Lance Whittaker.

Most of Rahman’s wins have come against “who’s”. He has beaten Trevor Berbick (95), Ross Purity (96) and Obet Sullivan (97) but that was some time ago. Even then those wins were of questionable value. Rahman’s winning streak is with wins over guys named Lane, Rush, Weathers (not Carl) and Marion Wilson. Now if it was Marion Morrison we’d really have a story. But alas it isn’t. The Duke is gone. Lewis sometimes lets his mouth run off without his mind being engaged. When Lewis says, “I’ll knock this guy out,” he’s probably spot on.

Why is the fight in South Africa? Depends on who one chooses to believe. Lewis says, “I promised Nelson Mandella I’d fight in South Africa.” One can just imagine the joy this decision has brought to Mandella’s life. Probably more truthful is Lewis’s inability to generate any interest in any of his previous stops. He just doesn’t sell tickets or pay-per-view. In South Africa he’ll sell some tickets and mingle while spreading comfort and joy. Maybe the third time is the charm as he’s bombed out in England and the USA where he needs his opponent to sell tickets.

The other side of the heavyweight coin is going as predicted. Following John Ruiz’s win over Evander Holyfield, Ruiz made a number of statements about who he wanted to fight. “I want Tyson, I want Lewis”. The Pattaya Mail said, “You’ll get who ever Don King says you’ll get. The winner had already been booked to fight in China. Look for Ruiz-Holyfield III in China on August 5th.” Mark it down. Done deal. An anxious world awaits.

Pitak Patchun wins Reebok 14k in Jomtien

The Iron Men are hot at Green Valley

IPGC Pattaya Golf Society from the Bunker

On Tuesday, 10th April, another field of thirty-plus golfers left the Bunker for the newly refurbished and redesigned course at Green Valley. The ranks of the Bunker Boys were swelled by a very welcome contingent of Scandinavian visitors, who had a big say in the day’s medal and Stableford competitions.

The tees were well back and the temperature was in the high thirties, making it a long and challenging day.

In division one Anders Karlson and Mr. Loy shared second place with a net 77, the winner being Per Aschen with an excellent 76.

Division two saw Keith Fortt returning to his roots with 32 points, trailing behind the Iron Men, Jon Wood and John Preddy, the joint winners with 33 points apiece.

Nearest-the-pin awards went to Mr. Loy, Bruce Lawrence, Per Aschen and Pekka.

The Bunker Banana Booby was awarded to the Good Samaritan, Peter Alftha, who paid the entrance and transport fee for a visiting South African player. The guest from the southern hemisphere then proceeded to abuse everyone for four holes before walking off in disgrace. Thank you pal, but carry on walking!

Dene and Herbie Ishinanigans pairs scramble winners

With some assistance from the generous allocation of five Shenanigans (otherwise known as Mulligans), Herbie Ishinaga and Dene Mundy romped home on this Tuesday outing, delayed one week due to the PSC Championship, with an impressive net score of 60.6 off a modest team handicap of 7.4.

Runners-up were Barry Winton, hot foot from winning the 2001 PSC Golf Championship at Rayong Green Valley on April 3rd who, with partner Paul Davis and an even more modest team handicap of 4.6, returned a net 63.4 Notably a somewhat historic day on which the Traylings were nowhere in sight and definitely trailing.

Third in the frame were newcomer from the Cafe Kronborg Bob Davis partnering with Herb Schwieterman to produce a net 66.8 off their team handicap of 8.2.

Near pins were claimed by Herbie Ishinaga, Beth Lill, P.J. Redmond and Reg Graves. Paul Davis and Herb Schwieterman sank the long putts.

The course was dry, making the usually short hitters look really good, and it was hot. All up another friendly Shenanigans outing.

Next up is the Shenanigans Funhill Cup on Friday the 27th. Sign-up early.

Big week for Anders Karisson

Monday 9th April - Khao Kheow (stroke play)

Anders Karlsson was a double winner this week in IPGC TAGGS golf from the Haven. Karlsson earned his first victory of the week by carding a solid 7 under par 65 at the tough but beautiful Khao Kheow course.

IPGC chairman Stephen Beard also put together a fine round of golf, carding a 4 under par 68. On most days that score would have been good enough to put Stephen atop the leader board, but timing is everything and he was relegated to 2nd place following Anders’ fine round.

Michael Dige, no stranger to the podium, finished third with a 2 under par 70.

1st: Anders Karlsson, 65
2nd: Stephen Beard, 68
3rd: Michael Dige, 70

Wednesday 11th April - Eastern Star (Stableford)

Anders Karlsson finished his TAGGS week sweep with a Stableford win at Eastern Star on Wednesday, April 11. Anders scored a 2 under par 38 points, and with his good efforts this week may see his handicap come down a bit. Well done, Anders.

Perhaps it was the heat, but Eastern Star seemed to be playing tough, as it got the better of the TAGGS crew. Doug Campbell, who finished 2nd with his even par 36 points, was the only other TAGGS golfer to get near par.

A count back was needed to decide 3rd place, with Per Aschan edging out Michael Dige by two points on the back nine. Both players carded 33 Stableford points on the day.

1st: Anders Karlsson, 38 pts
2nd: Doug Campbell, 36 pts
3rd: Per Aschan, 33 pts cb9 17 pts
4th: Michael Dige, 33 pts cb9 15 pts

Last call for Shenanigans Funhill Cup

Shenanigans Funhill Cup on Friday April 27th at Eastern Star has just a few places left. Once again, players will enjoy the popular pairs team scramble format and a shotgun start at 10 a.m. Team handicap allowance will be 20% of combined, with a maximum of 28 for men and 36 for ladies.

The B1,250 entry fee includes green and caddy fee, Shenanigans Funhill 2001 shirt, beer and snacks on the course, Shenanigans renowned Carvery, prize giving and lucky draw, and a live band to wind up the rest of the evening.

Trophies and prizes will go to the winning team and 2nd, 3rd and 4th place teams, plus Shenanigans vouchers for near pins, long drives, straight drives and long putts.

Sign-up in pairs please, using the entry form available at the venues, or download from the Shenanigans web page at www.shenanigans-pattaya.com

Please indicate if there is another pair you would like to play with as a group.

Hand in the entry form, with the entry fee, to Kim Fletcher at Shenanigans, or to Mike Franklin. Only paid-up entries will go on the start sheet. The field is limited to 128 players.

Bill Thompson Robbed!

PSC Three Sisters Golf

On Monday the 9th of April, the Three Sisters Golfers met at their usual time at Siam Country Club. Bill Thompson shot a brilliant 77 off the stick to score 40 Stableford points off of a 9 handicap. Good as it was, Bill got tripped up and stomped on by none other than Bob Deane who again won the bragging rights with 45 points. Needless to say, Bob’s handicap will be coming down. With a 22 handicap, Bob is no slouch off the stick. Playing as much as 3 to 4 times a week, Bob has improved his game tremendously in the last few months (congratulations Bob).

Bill Thompson’s only consolation was coming in second with Don Ratcliffe, Vic Cross and John Moore trailing close behind.

Fortunes changed for last week’s winner as Herb Ishinaga was holding up the pack with a miserable 26 points.

Copyright 2001  Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
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